[RPG] way to counterspell a level 20 druid

class-featurecounterspellingdnd-5edruidspellcasting

At level 20, Druids get access to the following feature:

Archdruid

At 20th level, you can use your Wild Shape an unlimited number of times.

Additionally, you can ignore the verbal and somatic components of your druid spells, as well as any material components that lack a cost and aren’t consumed by a spell. You gain this benefit in both your normal shape and your beast shape from Wild Shape

The emphasis is on the fact that you can ignore verbal, somatic and non-consumed material components, which makes these spells imperceptible, as per Xanathar:

If the need for a spell’s components has been removed by a special ability, such as the sorcerer’s Subtle Spell feature or the Innate Spellcasting trait possessed by many creatures, the casting of the spell is imperceptible.

Counterspell requires you to be able to see a creature casting:

Casting Time: 1 reaction, which you take when you see a creature within 60 feet of you casting a spell.

As a result, it seems to me that it is impossible to ever counterspell a level 20 druid unless they use a material component that is consumed.

Am I missing something? Is the level 20 Druid feature essentially 'become immune to counterspell' as a hidden bonus? Or is there still a way to counterspell them?

Best Answer

Level 20 druids cannot be counterspelled1

As you point out, the spell counterspell specifies that it can only be cast

when you see a creature within 60 feet of you casting a spell.

And since a spell cast without any components is "imperceptible" (as per your XGtE quote), then it is impossible for the counterspell's casting requirements to be met.

Therefore, the counterspell spell cannot be cast in response to a level 20 druid casting spells, and the druid is effectively immune to being counterspelled1. To prevent a level 20 druid from casting spells, you'd need to turn to other means of shutting down their magic, such as antimagic field and such.


1 ...unless the druid casts a spell that uses a material component with a specified cost or a material component that is consumed.


This is the same reasoning used in the similar Q&A related to Mystics: Can Counterspell be used to prevent a Mystic from using a Discipline?

See also the end of the answer to this question: Is Innate Spellcasting counterspellable? (credit to Corsaka for finding this)